Sinner
by JazzyCat
Summary: Neji Hyuuga...you're going to hell. Haven't you ever heard of them? Lust, pride, gluttony, wrath, envy, sloth, greed. They're known as the seven deadly sins, you know. How many have you committed thus far?
1. The Mission

Neji Hyuuga is a sinner.

It has been proven many a time, all on one mission. Not that anyone was trying to prove it. On one mission alone, Neji has committed each and every one of the seven deadly sins, and then not even known what he's done.

Was it perhaps, in a moment of weakness?

Looking at it from an outsider's point of view, one might find it funny, tragic, or just plain pathetic that the stoic Neji Hyuuga would succumb to such raw emotions. One might also think it impossible. He never shows even the slightest emotion, other than that triumphant smirk every once in a while, giving his face a break from its constant frowning.

But, folks, it's very true. And if you know the seven deadly sins, then you know he's constantly committing one of them—pride. There's no difference there, but as far as the other six go, it was a first for him.

And it all happened on one little mission.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Team Gai was called to the Hokage's tower one sunny afternoon to be given the details of their next job. At sixteen, they were all chuunin, and capable of much more than what they had been. Tsunade knew this, and that's why she chose their team for the mission.

They stood in front of her, waiting for the details of the mission, stoic and professional. She looked them over one by one before speaking.

"This mission…is very important. Nothing—and I mean _nothing_—can go wrong." She seemed to be looking at Neji as she said that. Surprising, since Neji was usually the one who cleaned up after Lee or Gai-sensei. His eyes narrowed, understanding that this might be something he wouldn't like.

"There is a village south of this one, it's much smaller—a sixth of the size—but there is a man there who has become a notorious rapist and murderer, only for beautiful young women." Neji saw where this was going, and, sparing a quick glance to his female teammate, he didn't like it.

Tsunade—Tenten's idol—turned her attention to the girl in front of her. "Tenten, we need you to seduce him, lure him out. You have orders to kill." Tenten nodded in understanding.

"Neji, Lee, you're going along to make sure nothing happens. You'll also be needed to recon, and setting up the traps." The Hokage handed them all scrolls with more detail on them. "You leave tonight. Be ready." They all nodded, and were dismissed.

"Ugh…I'm so nervous," Tenten fretted as they left the building. It wasn't her first mission of the sort, but they never failed to make her jumpy, and never failed to make Neji tense.

"Why?" Neji asked, knowing damn well, but refusing to let go of his resolve. His mask was one he refused to let slip. "You've done this before."

"Yeah, but I'm not any good at it!" Tenten replied, blushing.

_I beg to differ,_ part of Neji's mind said, though he didn't know why. He was still confused as to why he got upset about this kind of thing, or why his face suddenly felt very hot.

"Are you alright Neji? Your face is kinda pink. You don't have a fever, do you?"

"I'm fine. It's just warm out."

"Yeah, it is." Tenten fanned herself with her hands for a moment. "Well…I'm gonna go pack."

"Yosh! I, too, shall ready myself for the upcoming mission!" Lee bounded away, leaving his two teammates behind.

"Right… bye Neji. I'll see you later."

"Hn."

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

When night fell, they met at the gate to Konoha. They were packed and ready, and Neji read the scroll aloud to the other two.

"We are to arrive in the town by tomorrow night, at which time we will go to several bars in an attempt to lure him out using," he cleared his throat, "Tenten. We are to get him away from other people before making the kill, and only then. We are to bring the body back." He closed the scroll and tucked it away. "Let's get going."

"YOSH!" Neji and Tenten both winced. Lee was too loud.

"Quiet, Lee!" Tenten shushed.

"Yosh!" he whisper-shouted, making his bun-haired companion giggle.

"_She's got nothing to giggle about,"_ Neji thought. "_She's going to be used as a sex object. Doesn't she care?"_

"Let's just go…" Tenten said tensely, sensing the dark aura around Neji. She didn't know what he was thinking, but she knew it probably wasn't good.

* * *

**A/N: This is just a little something I thought of after watching my most recently acquired volume of FMA, which, as some of you might know, includes the seven deadly sins, a concept I have always been fond of. So, hey, this might not work out, but I hope you guys like it.  
**


	2. Superbia

**Pride: **A high opinion of one's self.**  
Latin: **Superbia.

-- -- -- --

"Neji, aren't you nervous?" He remembered being asked that question before he left.

_ Shikamaru looked at him intensely. He'd dropped by for a visit, only to find Neji packing. After hearing the details of the mission, he popped the question. _

_"Why would I be?" He said as he stuffed his extra weapons in after his clothing. "It's just a mission. It's only a B rank at that."_

_"That's not what I'm talking about." Shikamaru shook his head. "This guy's a known rapist, right? So aren't you worried for Tenten's safety?"_

_"We've been on this kind of mission before. Nothing ever happens." Neji's shoulders were tense as he lied through his teeth. _

_"Neji, don't lie to yourself. You've never had to partake in a mission where your female teammate is seducing a rapist and murderer. She could be in danger. Why did you accept this job?"_

_"I didn't," he hissed. "She did." He slung his backpack onto his shoulder and stalked out past Shikamaru, who only watched him leave, sighing and shaking his head. He stuck his hands in his pockets and lazily left the Hyuuga compound. _

"Neji, are you not nervous?" Lee said, echoing Shikamaru's earlier question. "This is our first mission of this nature in a long while!" The taijutsu master performed his moves as he walked, and he was starting to creep everyone out.

"I'm fine, Lee," he said, brushing away his true feelings. "After all, I am a Hyuuga."

"Your name means nothing, Neji!" He jumped into the air and came down hard with a chop to the air. "It is your feelings that matter!"

"Could you stop that Lee? You're going to get us caught."

"Hai!" he whisper-shouted, and Neji walked a little quicker in order to catch up with Tenten, who had gone ahead a bit.

"Something wrong, Neji?" Tenten asked. His brow twitched. What was with all the questions?

"No." He left it at that. She didn't pry further. Tenten knew when to leave him alone. They walked in silence until they got to the inn they were staying at for the first night.

"Neji," Tenten said as she got the keys to their rooms. "Are you sure you're alright?" She handed one key to the boys and took hers with her. They were right across the hall from one another, and the group walked together to their rooms. "You've been acting weird."

"Why wouldn't I be fine? I'm a Hyuuga after all. I've been trained since birth to hide my emotions. Anything you see if your imagination. My training has been flawless." He stuck his nose in the air and went into his room without another word. Lee turned to his friend.

"He has indeed been acting odd! Neji has never been like this! We have known him for many a year and never has his stoic face been shed once!"

"That's what I'm saying, Lee. I wonder what his problem is."

"Shall we make it our mission to find out?" Lee suggested quietly, so that the Hyuuga boy wouldn't hear them. Tenten grinned.

"That's a great idea, Lee. That's what we should do."

-- -- -- --

"I shouldn't have snapped at her like that," Neji thought to himself behind the door, oblivious to the conversation going on through the wall. "Now I feel bad. But I was right. Hyuuga resolve must never crack." He stripped off his shirt and crawled into bed. He wouldn't sleep, but he'd keep watch and pretend.

* * *

"Let pride go afore, shame will follow after."


	3. Acedia

**Sloth**: Doing nothing, or an absence of caring. In this case; the latter.  
**Latin**: Acedia

-- -- -- --

"Neji! Awaken!" Lee shouted. Neji's eyes opened slowly, crusted over with sleep.

"What?"

"It is time to go! We leave in five minutes! Ready yourself!" Neji ignored Lee and rolled over, figuring that Tenten would take twenty minutes more than him, and so he thought he had extra time. Two minutes later, Lee was gone and in the hall. The door opened and in stormed Tenten.

"Neji! Wake up! Wow, it's never been like you to be lazy…" She put her fists on her hips and watched him roll out of bed. "Neji…you've got five minutes before I stab you in the ass with my kunai." Her eyes were narrowed dangerously, and Neji knew that she would do it. He got up and pulled on a shirt, tying his hair back and washing his face quickly. He grabbed his things and followed her out the door, where Lee was waiting.

He'd fallen asleep, amazingly enough. He'd tried to stay up all night and failed. Now he groggily pattered down the hall after his teammates, his eyes half closed as he struggled to stay awake. What was wrong with him, he wondered. He was never like this. Maybe it was a symptom of something.

"Neji, we're going to start tonight. Aren't you excited or whatever you normally feel on mission days?" Tenten inquired, leaning to see his face. He shook his head.

"I don't care too much." He shrugged and kept walking. Tenten and Lee exchanged a silent look before hurrying off after him.

The day's travel began in silence. Only when the trio stopped for a late lunch did they speak.

"I'll be right back," Tenten said, excusing herself to slip behind a tree. Neji and Lee waited patiently, sipping the tea she'd made, and eating their meal of plain rice. Neji nearly choked when Tenten returned. "Well?" she asked. "What do you think?"

There she stood, ready for the mission. She'd changed into her "uniform" which just so happened to be a very revealing dress that Neji had never seen on anyone other than the slutty club-girls in their previous missions like that one. He stopped for a second to remember how to breathe before answering.

"It is wonderful, Tenten!" Lee said, giving her a thumbs up. "You look lovely and youthful!"

"Thanks, Lee…" she said gratefully, though her face suggested she felt otherwise. "Neji? What do you think?" She turned to face her slightly more-sane friend. Normally he would say something clod like "it's alright," or "it's fine," or even "If it gets the job done," only to watch her face fall in sadness, and thins time he thought of saying what he truly felt.

But couldn't. At that moment, he didn't care. If he couldn't have her—not that he wanted her, mind you—then someone else would, and it was useless to waste his time in wanting her. Besides, anything he felt for her was purely physical and due to hormonal increases, and not because he actually liked her. No.

But she just looked so damn good in that dress. Short and red, hugging her curves it was just—No! He wouldn't think about her like that! She wasn't something to ogle, she was his teammate and friend. He quickly turned his attention back to his food. "Whatever," he said through a mouthful of rice. "Eat your food before it gets cold."

This time he didn't see her face fall. But that doesn't mean it didn't happen.

She narrowed her eyes at that calm demeanor. She'd purposely picked this dress out to impress _him_, not the target. She thought for sure she'd get a rise out of him this time, but still _nothing_. Now she just felt stupid and slightly naked. The dress came up very short, and felt very tight. She grabbed her food indignantly and started eating.

Neji kept sneaking glances at her. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, until he reminded himself he wasn't caring. "This is the kind of mission she'll be doing until she's a wrinkled old hag, and I'll have to get used to it. Best not get attached. She'll meet someone."

He leaned back against a tree trunk and closed his eyes lazily. "I just won't care anymore. Let her do what she wants."

* * *

"Diligence overcomes difficulties, sloth makes them"


	4. Invidia

**Envy**: Painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another in accompaniment with a desire to possess the same advantage.  
**Latin**: Invidia

-- -- -- --

"We're here," Tenten said unnecessarily as they passed the gates of the town. It was a good-sized place, though it didn't even compare to Konoha. "Where's the club, Neji?" The bunette asked, turning to the stoic Hyuuga. He took the scroll to check the name of it, and the location.

"Spontaneity is the name of it. It should be over there." He pointed and headed off, ready to begin. He wanted to get this over with. While he went ahead, Tenten grabbed her green-clad friend aside.

"Have you figured out what's wrong with him?" She whispered urgently?"

"No," he replied. "You?"

"No. Why would I ask if I already knew?" She tugged at the hem of her skirt. "This is so weird. He's really cold. Colder than usual."

"I have noticed as well. Tenten, we must figure this out! I will not rest until we know!"

"Lee, hold it! Don't do anything! We don't want to jeopardize the mission! We've just go to observe. Now, we can't be seen together before we go into the club. You go ahead, I'll count to ten." Bushy-brows nodded and strode off. Watching him walk, Tenten realized unlike she and Neji, Lee hadn't changed into clubbing apparel.

"One…two…three…" she inhaled slowly as she counted, then exhaled. Lee was a good distance away. "Eight….nine…ten." Tenten put on her serious face. As of that moment, she was on the job. This was business. She strode forward in her red heels, adding a little extra swish to her hips, knowing exactly what she did to men.

She could feel the eyes of men, and the eyes of their jealous wives, and ignored them, every once in a while throwing a sweet look and batting her eyelashes at a random man.

The club stood out. If the signs and lights weren't enough, there were people lounging outside, talking, dancing, enjoying a cigarette. The atmosphere positively _oozed_ "club". And Tenten simply radiated confidence. She'd done this enough times.

She threw a sexy smile at the bouncer and got in easily. She pushed aside the curtain and stalked onto the dance floor, instantly captivating the attention of half the men there, but not paying attention to any of them. The first thing she did was locate Neji and Lee. Neji was by the bar, Lee by the back. _No_ she was ready to start.

The target's picture was burned into her mind. She wouldn't mess this up. She took every precaution, memorizing his name as well as his face and every known alias he'd ever used, and the names of all the girls he'd ever killed. She wouldn't add herself to the ranks.

The girl started to dance. She let the beat move her while she did her job, holding up one of her arms—making it look like she was dancing that way—and made a sign with her hand, the signal to her teammates that she was starting. She'd seen him, in the middle of a crowd of girls, and she was moving in.

Her hips moved in the tight dress, making the fabric stretch and wrinkle in provocative ways over her form, drawing his attention. Her mouth curved into a smile. She got him.

His eyes watched her closely, taking in her every move, running over her body, letting her dance. He licked his lips. He was hooked.

And Neji didn't like it.

He didn't like having to watch while the girl seduced another man. "That should be _me_ she's shaking her hips at," he thought. "Not some rapist." He nonchalantly ordered a drink and declined an offer to dance. He wanted to look casual, but girls kept flirting with him. He couldn't be distracted, so he might have come off a little harsh. But what did he care? He was unhappy to begin with.

This beautiful young girl that he'd known for so long it was almost as if they were already dating was out on the dance floor luring in some random murderous man all for the sake of a mission and Neji ould only stand there and watch. He was letting her work.

But _damn_ he couldn't even express to himself how much he wanted to be in that man's place right then. Even watching from far away he was getting drawn in. She was such a natural. When he thought back to every other time he'd seen her in "seductive mode", he couldn't remember a single time she'd been half as sexy as this. This time seemed different. This time, she seemed to be really into it.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. He downed another drink. They were starting to taste good.

The target, it seemed, also liked the show. He had looks enough to get him any girl in the place, many of which were beautiful, well-endowed, but his eyes were locked into this one young girl. Maybe it was her age, maybe it was the way she danced, or maybe it was the way she _glowed_, but whatever it was, she was going to get him out of there.

And hopefully soon. As he down a third drink, Neji decided he wasn't sure how long he could take this. Something inside of him boiled, and not even the alcoholic beverages he was drinking could stop that.

* * *

"He who is not jealous is not in love."


	5. Gula

**Gluttony**: Desire to consume to the point of waste.  
**Latin**: Gula

-- -- -- --

As Neji fumed, something in him snapped. He sat down at the bar and ordered another drink. He took his eyes off of Tenten, off of the target, and set them on the ice cubes floating in his glass.

"Wow," he thought. "No one's bothered to ask my age or anything. Sad." He tilted his head back and let the alcohol slide down his throat.

This was the first time he'd ever even thought about slacking off on a mission. Before this very moment, everything he did he'd done to the best of his ability. He did everything perfectly, and now look at him. He'd done this a thousand times, and this one had him acting like a child, turning away from the problem.

He slammed back another drink.

Neji Hyuuga wasn't very open with anyone. He'd never tell Tenten about his feelings for her. Not even if she confessed first—not that she would. That would just leave them open to attack, their weak points exposed. Love was pointless and unnecessary. You didn't need love to repopulate the planet.

But why was he thinking like that? He knew that they could never be, as much as he didn't like it. So why bother with the thoughts? Why waste energy that he could be using to ignore the mission instead? He ordered another drink, starting to feel the effects hot in his face.

But, as most other ninja—save Naruto perhaps—Neji Hyuuga could hold his liquor. He could have twenty or thirty beers without succumbing to poisoning, or even feeling drunk. As a young child he had been exposed to it a lot, as a part of his training. They had to have their ninja build up astronomically high tolerances, lest the opponent try to get them drunk or whatnot.

But just because Neji could take them didn't mean it did him any good. He hadn't had that kind of training for months, and his tolerance was lowered, and after four drinks, he was starting to get dizzy looking at the floor.

"Water please," he asked the bartender, and ordered a sidecar as well. He sucked on the piece of lemon they gave him, turning his attention back to the dance floor. He saw Tenten. He saw the target. And he saw Lee, walking across the dance floor toward him.

Lee took a seat beside him and ordered a drink, acting natural and pretending to strike up casual bar conversation with him. He might be creepily enthusiastic most of the time, but he knew when to play it cool.

"Hey buddy, you okay?"

"Yeah, fine. Gin and tonic."

"Don't you think you've had enough, Neji?" Lee whispered under his breath, barely moving his lips. "You've gone past the point of acting casual."

"I'm fine."

"If you're fine why haven't you notice that Tenten is leading the man out the door?"

"Because she's not. Byakugan, remember Lee?" He pointed to his eye and downed another glass. The bartender just kept them coming. Theye were starting to taste better to him, though they all tasted the same.

"Neji, you have to stop. We can't jeopardize this mission!"

"Lee, the only thing that's going to jeopardize the mission is you talking so loudly. You're going to blow our cover if you don't shut up," Neji snapped. "Besides, I like this stuff. It's tasty." He swallowed another mouthful. Lee looked at him, his wide eyes widening even more.

"Tenten was right. You are acting weird." With that, Neji thought he was going to leave. "Alright, maybe you don't care about this mission, and you don't have to, but do you at least care about Tenten?"

"Why?" Neji gulped another down. He still hadn't had enough to be drunk, which was what he was aiming for. "She can take care of herself."

"That doesn't mean you don't have to care about her, Neji. You don't even know what she's going through. She's out there risking her body and her life for the sake of our country, and you're sitting here drinking. Maybe you should stop with the liquor," he put his hand over the top of the glass headed toward Neji's lips, shoving it back onto the bar, "and start caring about her. You haven't noticed a thing yet." He stalked off. Neji ignored him. What did he care if Lee didn't approve of his newly acquired taste for alcohol? He took a swig of his latest drink before slapping some money down on the counter for the bill.

He walked onto the dance floor, rejecting more offers to dance as he headed toward the back door after his teammates. Tenten had led him that way, and now the real work was just beginning.

Just before he left to see the inevitable, he threw one last mournful glance at the bar, wishing he could have another drink and the comforts it brought, easing away his pain.

* * *

"Gluttony kills more than the sword."


	6. Ira

**Wrath**: Strong, vengeful anger or indignation, retribution or punishment for a crime.  
**Latin**: Ira

-- -- -- --

Neji knew right away that he may have had one drink too many. His head felt heavy, his mind was hard to focus, and it took all his energy to keep his eyes on Tenten, luring their target away.

Lee was across the street, also following, but they couldn't risk being seen together more than the once they had at the bar. They had a hotel planned out—one that had been a part of murder missions before. One that knew they'd be coming.

Neji cringed when he heard Tenten giggle. "You're so _bad,_" she said, playfully swatting the target's arm. They refused to know his name. It made it that much harder to kill him.

Neji watched as he leaned in and whispered something in her ear, making her cheeks light up pink—something you couldn't just fake. The Hyuuga's fist clenched tightly, his nails cutting crescent shapes into his palms. He was grinding his teeth, and earning looks from Lee across the street.

Tenten led the man inside the hotel. Lee and Neji waited outside for the signal. Their bun-haired partner would do the honors, unless he was too much for her to handle.

An hour went by.

"_She's taking her time,_" Neji thought, tapping his foot impatiently on the sidewalk. His ears were perked up, and he desperately wanted another drink. His eyes shot toward a bar across the street, but he didn't move. There would be time for that later. Right now, he was taking Lee' s advice and being worried.

After almost another half hour, Neji stood and brushed the dust off the back of his shirt. "I'm going in there," he said, seemingly to no one, but in fact to Lee. Lee heard, and tried to motion for him to stop without actually crossing the street and making contact.

"Stop," the man in green hissed through his teeth. "She can handle it." In truth, however, Lee was also starting to wonder about that. It had been an awfully long time.

Neji calmed down. His anger subsided; only long enough for a scream to echo down the street.

Tenten.

Lee and Neji jumped into action, startled by the sudden noise. They bolted around the corner and into the building, ignoring the protests of the man at the front desk.

"Okay," Lee said. "Maybe she _can't_ handle it."

-- -- --

Neji found the right room with his Byakugan and kicked the door in. "Tenten!"

The brunette looked up sharply. "Neji!" she cried, clutching the broken strap of her dress. She lifted her foot and kicked the man off from on top of her. She had been pinned to the bed, but now was free to move. Her friends noticed a bruise forming along her collar bone.

"What did he do?" Neji growled, narrowing his white eyes at the man in question.

"Nothing, Neji. Let's just get the job over with. I want to go home." Her tone suggested not all was as it should be. Had he hurt her? Kami help him if he had. He clenched his fists.

"I'll take care of it. You two wait in the hall." His tone was the sort you didn't question. Lee and Tenten filed out of the room and closed the door. Neji didn't miss the look Tenten threw at him before the door closed fully. He turned to the piece of trash in front of him.

"You. What did you do to her?" He smirked.

"Nothing she didn't want me to do." Neji's blood boiled at his lie. He knew better than to get riled up, but still couldn't help it. He tried to cool off. Instead of exploding, he pulled a kunai from his pocket and held it to his neck. He didn't dare move.

"How many girls have you raped and killed?" He didn't smile, but his eyes were dancing.

"Oh, I don't know…a few hundred, maybe?" He laughed. "But I figured, 'hey, I'm going to hell anyway, what's one more?'" Many fragmented images flew through his mind, most of which consisted of the file on this man that he'd read, and Tenten's face. The face she usually wore, her smile, the scared look I saw when I kicked down the door. The man in front of him, pinning her down, breathing heavily.

He let his mind get the better of him. Something he should have done, but had to. Neji punched him straight in his ugly face. Needless to say, he was surprised by the sudden attack. We were supposed to interrogate him before we killed him, but words took too long.

"Hey, hold on—"

"Shut up," Neji growled as he hit him again. "You touched her. You touched her and I'll never forgive you." His eyes were almost bloodthirsty as he began to torture the man in front of him, slowly and painfully cutting him with tiny little pricks of his blade. "And now you're going to die." He kicked him across the room.

"You will die with your sins. Do not expect forgiveness." He hissed. He'd wanted to drag this out a little longer, but he didn't want to keep Tenten waiting. She'd said she wanted to go home. He ended it quickly, one swift cut, driving the kunai into his neck and ripping it through the flesh. The glow in the man's eyes faded. Death surrounded him like an aura.

Neji's job was done. But he was still angry. He kicked the body once more for good measure. He walked across the room and wrenched open the door, closing it quickly behind him. "Lee, get the manager. Tell her which room to clean up." As soon as Lee was gone, Neji stripped off his jacket and handed it to the girl in front of him. "Are you alright?" He asked. When she nodded shortly, his face became cold again. "Then let's go."

After fighting like that, his alcohol-filled brain was beginning to pound. He knew the morning wasn't something he'd welcome.

* * *

"A hangover is the wrath of grapes."


	7. Luxuria

**Lust**: Intense sexual desire or appetite.  
**Latin**: Luxuria

-- -- -- --

As they walked, Neji kept looking back at his teammate. They were waiting until they got to a decent camping spot for the night before daring to stop. The girl's eyes never left her feet, and Neji knew something was wrong. Though he had an idea of what it was.

Lee sensed something in the air, but he didn't exactly think that it was what it was. He mistook it for fatigue, and decided to stop. Seeing as he'd done the least on the mission, he let his friends rest while he went to get wood for a fire. He found some kindling and started the flames before rushing off to find better sustenance for it, leaving the two alone.

"Tenten…" Neji's voice was barely above a whisper. "Did he hurt you?"

"No, Neji, I'm fine. I've done this before, you know I can handle—" He cut her off by tilting her chin toward him, forcing her to look at him. He repeated his question.

"Did he hurt you?" She stared into his eyes, her features quiet. His stare was intense. He was worried. Her eyes didn't flicker, and her voice didn't falter.

"No. He didn't." His eyes searched hers, but found no trace of a lie. He sat back, looking at her. She stared into the fire, the light dancing across her sad face. Into her eyes. Glassy eyes.

She was so beautiful. She didn't even know that. She belittled herself, calling herself plain, wearing useless makeup that she didn't even need. Her natural beauty was enough to stun a man, and she had no idea what it did to her.

He was staring at her for a while, because she suddenly said "Lee's been gone for a while. The fire's going out." She was right. Neji got up and found a few more twigs to throw on, which would keep it lit for a while. He sat down next to his friend.

"Tenten, are you alright?" He was worried she'd been traumatized knowing he'd killed a man. He didn't want her to be scared of him. He resisted the urge to wrap his arm around her.

"I'm fine Neji." She lied. It was evident in her voice. "Just a little tired. It's been a long night, and all I really want is to go home." She pulled Neji's jacket tighter around her shoulders and hunched in her seat, as if trying to keep in the warmth.

"Tenten, are you scared?"

"Of what?"

"Anything. Is there something wrong. You're not acting like yourself." Tenten chuckled darkly.

"Would you be alright, Neji, if you were forced to risk your body and your life to catch someone who could very easily take both? I'm fine now, but it was scary. We were in that room for so long, and for a second I thought…you might not come for me."

Neji couldn't take the sad look in her eye. She really thought she'd been abandoned. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, feeling her stiffen in surprise, before casting a sideways glance at him.

"N…Neji?"

"We wouldn't leave you. We'd never leave. You're our teammate. Our fellow ninja. Our friend. Tenten, Lee and I will always be there for you." She relaxed after hearing that. There was a faint trace of pink on her cheeks, and Neji suddenly remembered the position they were in. He pulled away, on the verge of blushing himself. He inched back down the log the used for a seat.

"Thank you," she whispered. It did not go unheard.

Neji didn't answer. He was busy. His emotions were becoming a little more than he could handle. For the first time in his life, Neji Hyuuga felt something beside hate toward another person. Looking at Tenten, so small, so vulnerable, yet so strong, he _wanted_ her. It was more than just a physical feeling.

Something in his mind had clicked, in a way that it never had before, and he knew that this girl was something special to him. He couldn't even bring himself to _think_ the 'L' word, but he had an inkling that it really was.

By the 'L' word I mean love. He knew that there was lust—that was his physical desire. She was too beautiful to take his eyes away from, and his stomach churned whenever he thought of her with another man.

"That's it then," he thought. "It is." The 'L' word.

Love. And Lust .

Lee came back, arms full of firewood, to see his two teammates looking away from each other, sitting on opposite ends of the camp. He smirked, knowing he'd need to see if Tenten had found anything out about Neji and his weirdness.

Judging by the atmosphere, _something_ had happened.

* * *

"The more we are filled with thought of lust, the less we find true romantic love."


	8. Avaritia

**Greed**: The selfish desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, power or other possessions. In this case, Tenten.  
**Latin**: Avaritia

-- -- -- --

Neji's head pounded terribly when he woke. He had indeed been drunk and hadn't even noticed. He sat up slowly, groaning with the pain.

"Are you alright?" A voice near his head said. He looked up to see Tenten looking down at him. He would never admit to a hangover, so he lied and said his back hurt.

"Aw, poor thing," she teased. "Lee went to find food for breakfast, and who knows how long that'll take him?" She sat on the log they'd used the previous night.

"It's fine. I'm not that hungry anyway." Neji sat across from her and watched as she started a fire. Her face seemed brighter than the night before, but still unhappy, as though something troubled her. Seeing as he'd just given a whole speech about how he was her friend and there to listen to her when she needed him, he figured he should start doing what he promised.

And, he decided, he would start by being honest with himself.

"What's wrong, Tenten?"

"Nothing."

"The truth please."

"Well…there's someone…I like." Whoa now. Neji hadn't been expecting that.

"Um…I know I asked, but I'm not good with this sort of thing."

"Well…you can just listen then. Since my girlfriends aren't around." She grinned. "But the guy…doesn't know. At least, I don't think so. He's been clueless this entire time. I mean, the other day I was flirting with him and I don't think he even knew." She sighed. "But I don't know how to tell him."

"Why not let him tell you?" Neji asked.

"How do I know that he feels the same way?"

"Well…I guess you don't, but you'll regret it if you never tell him." The girl stared at Neji with an almost disgusted expression. Was he that clueless when it came to this that he didn't even realize how subtly she was trying to confess to him? She sighed and tried the direct approach.

"Neji , I—"

"Tenten, I have something I have to say to you." She clamped her mouth shut in surprise. "This is…unlike me, I know, and it's not something I normally do, so forgive me if I sound stupid, but I realized after this last mission that I can't go on. I'm taking my own advice, even though what you told me has….discouraged me a bit." He moved forward and took her hands in his. "I…like you. To the point where seeing you with another man even if you aren't serious, even if you're just pretending, scares and infuriates me. I almost lost it on this past mission. I don't need an answer from you right away, since I know you like someone, but I felt that I needed to get that out there, so…you should know, though, that should you change your mind, I will always be willing to accept you, and I wish to keep you to myself." he sat back, dropping her hands.

"Are you sure that's not just the alcohol talking?" she teased nervously when she'd grasped what he'd just said. His look convinced her otherwise. "Ugh, Neji…you're so dense!"

"What?"

"It's you! The one I was talking about is you!" Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Man you're slow. That little dance in the club, that was for you, too. You didn't notice though. Apparently, you were too busy drinking. And now I feel stupid." But she did feel better knowing he felt the same way.

"Well then…"

"Yes, Neji, if you were going to ask me out, I accept." She giggled. He couldn't help but smile, despite himself. Finally one thing in his messed up little world had gone _right_.

-- -- -- -- --  
**Two weeks later.  
**-- -- -- -- --

Tenten lounged lazily across her couch, Neji sitting in the armchair across the room. They just stared at each other, not paying any attention to the movie playing on the television set not five feet away.

Luckily, they'd known each other long enough to skip the awkward get-to-know-you phase of a romantic relationship and get straight to the good stuff. Their dates rarely left the house, though, as Neji had to keep up appearances and not seem too free. He _was_ a branch family member. But that was fine with Tenten. She got to cook for him, or they'd order in and watch a movie, much like they were doing now.

The moment was interrupted by a sudden sound. Tenten looked at her door and through the mail slot a small scroll had been shoved. She vaulted over the back of the couch and retrieved it, standing in the hall to read it. Neji came up behind her to read over her shoulder.

"Oh, look, it's a mission!" She cried, excited. Missions had been few and far between for their group lately. "Oh," her face dropped. "It's another seduction mission."

Neji wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, yanking her back against his chest in an awkward hug. He growled playfully. "_Mine._"

* * *

"Greed is a fat demon with a small mouth and whatever you feed it is never enough."

* * *

**A/N: Another one is complete! Thanks to the supporters to this. It was just a quickie, but I still kinda like it. I didn't like the awkward way Neji confessed, but I liked the little 'Two Weeks Later' thing after that. :D  
**


End file.
